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Harper to Bono: Drop dead

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Perry White, Jun 11, 2007.

  1. Perry White

    Perry White Active Member

    http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN0526853020070608

    HEILIGENDAMM, Germany (Reuters) - You can stop staring hopefully at that phone, Bono. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper will not be calling.

    The Irish rock star turned poverty activist met U.S. President George W. Bush and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the sidelines of a Group of Eight summit but was told Harper was too busy to talk to him.

    Harper, a somewhat wooden figure regularly mocked for his lack of flair, told reporters Thursday that meeting Bono was not a priority.

    "I've got to say that meeting celebrities isn't kind of my shtick, that was the shtick of the previous guy," said Harper in a dig at his Liberal predecessor Paul Martin, who met Bono regularly.

    "I hope we do it at some point but my principle focus in public policies is not kind of to meet celebrities," added the prime minister, a Conservative.

    Activists say Canada is trying to block a deal to ensure that western nations live up to promises to boost aid to Africa.

    For the record, though, Harper said he liked the music of Bono's band U2.
     
  2. three_bags_full

    three_bags_full Well-Known Member

    Glad I'm not the only one who doesn't give a shit what celebrities think.
     
  3. Yeah, especially celebrities who are more informed about an issue than, say, Stephen Harper is.
    God forbid we should have a glancing familiarity with expertise.
     
  4. Flying Headbutt

    Flying Headbutt Moderator Staff Member

    In credit to Bono, he and Angelina Jolie and a small handful of others are the exceptions when it comes to celebrities and their takes on world issues.
     
  5. What I find amazing is that a couple of million Americans will listen to NYU dropout Sean Hannity and drug-addled sex-tourist ballpark salesman Rush Limbaugh talk about issues way beyond their respective depths and allow them to make lucrative careers out of it. And, yet, actors and musicians are the ones who should STFU about stuff because they don't know what they're talking about.
     
  6. Inky_Wretch

    Inky_Wretch Well-Known Member

    Where did Harper tell Bono to drop dead?
     
  7. three_bags_full

    three_bags_full Well-Known Member

    Well, then, you keep listening to Bono and Sean Penn.
     
  8. pallister

    pallister Guest

    Translation: People who disagree with my political views are stupid ... and should thusly STFU.
     
  9. The discussion was about expertise, not intelligence. Do you honestly believe that Hannity and Limbaugh are as well-informed and expert on the topics they discuss as, say, Bono is about debt relief? I don't recall saying either one of them should STFU, by the way, but they are expert in nothing except building a radio audience. What do you suppose would happen if, for example, you put Hannity on a stage with Al Gore to discuss global warming? In an actual debate format. With a moderator and no mute button. There wouldn't be anything left but young Sean's loafers. And I do recall that time that Limbaugh left his comfy studio and went on Pat Sajak's old TV show. The booing got so bad he ran away like a child and, later, refused to go on a Nightline town-meeting show unless he was allowed to do it from his radio studio surrounded by his own books.
     
  10. Cansportschick

    Cansportschick Active Member

    I see our Prime Minister not only hates the media but celebrities too. ;D
     
  11. heyabbott

    heyabbott Well-Known Member

    And what do Bono, O'Reilly and Hannity have in common? They all preach to their own choirs
     
  12. John

    John Well-Known Member

    Actually, I think Bono preaches to anyone that will listen. I find the guy a bit pretentious -- ever since that whole "greatest band in the world" business from about 10 years ago -- but I don't doubt his sincerity and I'd give him a standing ovation for his efforts worldwide to help the less fortunate.
     
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